fabius-第4章

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his　success　in　humiliating　the　high　and　powerful　office　of　the
dictatorship。　Fabius　quietly　reminded　him　that　it　was；　in　all
wisdom；　Hannibal；　and　not　Fabius；　whom　he　had　to　combat；　but　if　he
must　needs　contend　with　his　colleague；　it　had　best　be　in　diligence　and
care　for　the　preservation　of　Rome；　that　it　might　not　be　said；　a　man　so
favoured　by　the　people　served　them　worse　than　he　who　had　been
ill…treated　and　disgraced　by　them。
　　The　young　general；　despising　these　admonitions　as　the　false　humility
of　age；　immediately　removed　with　the　body　of　his　army；　and　encamped　by
himself。　Hannibal；　who　was　not　ignorant　of　all　these　passages；　lay
watching　his　advantage　from　them。　It　happened　that　between　his　army
and　that　of　Minucius　there　was　a　certain　eminence；　which　seemed　a　very
advantageous　and　not　difficult　post　to　encamp　upon；　the　level　field
around　it　appeared；　from　a　distance；　to　be　all　smooth　and　even；　though
it　had　many　inconsiderable　ditches　and　dips　in　it；　not　discernible
to　the　eye。　Hannibal；　had　he　pleased；　could　easily　have　possessed
himself　of　this　ground；　but　he　had　reserved　it　for　a　bait；　or　train；
in　proper　season；　to　draw　the　Romans　to　an　engagement。　Now　that
Minucius　and　Fabius　were　divided；　he　thought　the　opportunity　fair
for　his　purpose；　and；　therefore；　having　in　the　night…time　lodged　a
convenient　number　of　his　men　in　these　ditches　and　hollow　places；　early
in　the　morning　he　sent　forth　a　small　detachment；　who；　in　the　sight
of　Minucius；　proceeded　to　possess　themselves　of　the　rising　ground。
According　to　his　expectation；　Minucius　swallowed　the　bait；　and　first
sends　out　his　light　troops；　and　after　them　some　horse；　to　dislodge　the
enemy；　and；　at　last；　when　he　saw　Hannibal　in　person　advancing　to　the
assistance　of　his　men；　marched　down　with　his　whole　army　drawn　up。　He
engaged　with　the　troops　on　the　eminence；　and　sustained　their　missiles；
the　combat　for　some　time　was　equal；　but　as　soon　as　Hannibal
perceived　that　the　whole　army　was　now　sufficiently　advanced　within　the
toils　he　had　set　for　them；　so　that　their　backs　were　open　to　his　men
whom　he　had　posted　in　the　hollows；　he　gave　the　signal；　upon　which　they
rushed　forth　from　various　quarters；　and　with　loud　cries　furiously
attacked　Minucius　in　the　rear。　The　surprise　and　the　slaughter　was
great；　and　struck　universal　alarm　and　disorder　through　the　whole　army。
Minucius　himself　lost　all　his　confidence；　he　looked　from　officer　to
officer；　and　found　all　alike　unprepared　to　face　the　danger；　and
yielding　to　a　flight；　which；　however；　could　not　end　in　safety。　The
Numidian　horsemen　were　already　in　full　victory　riding　about　the　plain；
cutting　down　the　fugitives。
　　Fabius　was　not　ignorant　of　this　danger　of　his　countrymen；　he　foresaw
what　would　happen　from　the　rashness　of　Minucius；　and　the　cunning　of
Hannibal；　and；　therefore；　kept　his　men　to　their　arms；　in　readiness
to　wait　the　event；　nor　would　he　trust　to　the　reports　of　others；　but　he
himself；　in　front　of　his　camp；　viewed　all　that　passed。　When；
therefore；　he　saw　the　army　of　Minucius　encompassed　by　the　enemy；　and
that　by　their　countenance　and　shifting　their　ground　they　appeared　more
disposed　to　flight　than　to　resistance；　with　a　great　sigh；　striking　his
hand　upon　his　thigh；　he　said　to　those　about　him；　〃O　Hercules！　how　much
sooner　than　I　expected；　though　later　than　he　seemed　to　desire；　hath
Minucius　destroyed　himself！〃　He　then　commanded　the　ensigns　to　be　led
forward；　and　the　army　to　follow；　telling　them；　〃We　must　make　haste
to　rescue　Minucius；　who　is　a　valiant　man；　and　a　lover　of　his
country；　and　if　he　hath　been　too　forward　to　engage　the　enemy；　at
another　time　we　will　tell　him　of　it。〃　Thus；　at　the　head　of　his　men；
Fabius　marched　up　to　the　enemy；　and　first　cleared　the　plain　of　the
Numidians；　and　next　fell　upon　those　who　were　charging　the　Romans　in
the　rear；　cutting　down　all　that　made　opposition；　and　obliging　the　rest
to　save　themselves　by　a　hasty　retreat；　lest　they　should　be　environed
as　the　Romans　had　been。　Hannibal；　seeing　so　sudden　a　change　of
affairs；　and　Fabius；　beyond　the　force　of　his　age；　opening　his　way
through　the　ranks　up　the　hillside；　that　he　might　join　Minucius；　warily
forbore；　sounded　a　retreat；　and　drew　off　his　men　into　their　camp；
while　the　Romans　on　their　part　were　no　less　contented　to　retire　in
safety。　It　is　reported　that　upon　this　occasion　Hannibal　said　jestingly
to　his　friends：　〃Did　not　I　tell　you；　that　this　cloud　which　always
hovered　upon　the　mountains　would；　at　some　time　or　other；　come　down
with　a　storm　upon　us？〃
　　Fabius；　after　his　men　had　picked　up　the　spoils　of　the　field；　retired
to　his　own　camp；　without　saying　any　harsh　or　reproachful　thing　to
his　colleague；　who；　also；　in　his　part；　gathering　his　army　together；
spoke　and　said　to　them：　〃To　conduct　great　matters　and　never　commit　a
fault　is　above　the　force　of　human　nature；　but　to　learn　and　improve
by　the　faults　we　have　committed；　is　that　which　becomes　a　good　and
sensible　man。　Some　reasons　I　may　have　to　accuse　fortune；　but　I　have
many　more　to　thank　her；　for　in　a　few　hours　she　hath　cured　a　long
mistake；　and　taught　me　that　I　am　not　the　man　who　should　command
others；　but　have　need　of　another　to　command　me；　and　that　we　are　not　to
contend　for　victory　over　those　to　whom　it　is　our　advantage　to　yield。
Therefore　in　everything　else　henceforth　the　dictator　must　be　your
commander；　only　in　showing　gratitude　towards　him　I　will　still　be
your　leader；　and　always　be　the　first　to　obey　his　orders。〃　Having
said　this；　he　commanded　the　Roman　eagles　to　move　forward；　and　all
his　men　to　follow　him　to　the　camp　of　Fabius。　The　soldiers；　then；　as　he
entered；　stood　amazed　at　the　novelty　of　the　sight；　and　were　anxious
and　doubtful　what　the　meaning　might　be。　When　he　came　near　the
dictator's　tent；　Fabius　went　forth　to　meet　him；　on　which　he　at　once
laid　his　standards　at　his　feet；　calling　him　with　a　loud　voice　his
father；　while　the　soldiers　with　him　saluted　the　soldiers　here　as　their
patrons；　the　term　employed　by　freedmen　to　those　who　gave　them　their
liberty。　After　silence　was　obtained；　Minucius　said；　〃You　have　this
day；　O　dictator；　obtained　two　victories；　one　by　your　valour　and
conduct　over　Hannibal；　and　another　by　your　wisdom　and　goodness　over
your　colleague；　by　one　victory　you　preserved；　and　by　the　other
instructed　us；　and　when　we　were　already　suffering　one　shameful
defeat　from　Hannibal；　by　another　welcome　one　from　you　we　were　restored
to　honour　and　safety。　I　can　address　you　by　no　nobler　name　than　that　of
a　kind　father；　though　a　father's　beneficence　falls　short　of　that　I
have　received　from　you。　Front　a　father　I　individually　received　the
gift　of　life；　to　you　I　owe　its　preservation　not　for　myself　only；　but
for　all　these　who　are　under　me。〃　After　this；　he　threw　himself　into　the
arms　of　the　dictator；　and　in　the　same　manner　the　soldiers　of　each　army
embraced　one　another　with　gladness　and　tears　of　joy。
　　Not　long　after；　Fabius　laid　down　the　dictatorship；　and　consuls
were　again　created。　Those　who　immediately　succeeded　observed　the
same　method　in　managing　the　war；　and　avoided　all　occasions　of　fighting
Hannibal　in　a　pitched　battle；　they　only　succoured　their　allies；　and
preserved　the　towns　from　falling　off　to　the　enemy。　But　afterwards；
when　Terentius　Varro；　a　man　of　obscure　birth；　but　very　popular　and
bold；　had　obtained　the　consulship；　he　soon　made　it　appear　that　by
his　rashness　and　ignorance　he　would　stake　the　whole　commonwealth　on
the　hazard。　For　it　was　his　custom　to　declaim　in　all　assemblies；
that；　as　long　as　Rome　employed　generals　like　Fabius；　there　never　would
be　an　end　of　the　war；　vaunting　that　whenever　he　should　get　sight　of
the　enemy；　he　would　that　same　day　free　Italy　from　the　strangers。
With　these　promises　he　so　prevailed；　that　he　raised　a　greater　army
than　had　ever　yet　been　sent　out　of　Rome。　There　were　enlisted
eighty…eight　thousand　fighting　men；　but　what　gave　confidence　to　the
populace；　only　terrified　the　wise　and　experienced；　and　none　more
than　Fabius；　since　if　so　great　a　body；　and　the　flower　of　the　Roman
youth；　should　be　cut　off；　they　could　not　see　any　new　resource　for
the　safety　of　Rome。　They　addressed　themselves；　therefore；　to　the　other
consul；　Aemilius　Paulus；　a　man　of　great　experience　in　war；　b